Surya Nepal Eastern Open Defending champion Niraj extends lead

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 16: Defending champion and Nepal’s No. 1 professional, Niraj Tamang, extended his lead to five strokes after the second round of the Surya Nepal Eastern Open at the Dharan Golf Club on Thursday.

Niraj carded his second successive 6-under 64 for a 36-hole total of 12-under 128. He leads amateur golfer Rahul Bishwakarma by five strokes.

Rahul, winner of the season-opening Surya Nepal Central Open at Gokarna Golf Club earlier this month, produced a bogey-free 64 to move into second place at 7-under 133.

Sukra Bahadur Rai and Tanka Bahadur Karki are tied for third at 4-under 136. Sukra shot 3-under 67, while Tanka returned 1-under 69. Dinesh Prajapati climbed to fifth at 3-under 137 after carding 4-under 66.

Rabi Khadka, Bhuvan Nagarkoti and Bal Bhadra Rai share sixth place at 1-under 139. Rabi shot 1-under 69, Bhuvan played level-par 70, and Bal Bhadra returned 2-over 72. Amateurs Padam Hang Limbu and Prakrit Tamang are joint ninth at 2-over 142. Padam carded 2-under 68, while Prakrit managed 3-over 73.

Leader Niraj turned in 6-under 30 with birdies on the second, third, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth holes. He added a birdie on the 11th but dropped a shot on the 15th to finish the back nine level at 34.

Rahul carded birdies on the fifth, sixth and ninth for a front-nine 33. He then fired 31 on the back nine with birdies on the 10th, 12th and 18th.

Former No. 1 pro Sukra played 1-under 35 on the front nine with birdies on the second, third and seventh, offset by bogeys on the fourth and fifth. He returned a bogey-free 32 on the back nine with birdies at the 12th and 15th.

Tanka carded 1-under 35 on the front nine with birdies on the first and seventh against a bogey on the second. On the back nine, he collected birdies on the 10th, 12th and 18th but dropped shots on the 11th, 14th and 15th.

The cut was applied at 11-over 151, with 18 professionals and seven amateurs advancing to the final round. Among the pros surviving were Jayram Shrestha, who made a hole-in-one on the 14th, along with Suman Pariyar, Sunil KC, Sanjay Lama, Suman Rai, Bhuwan Kumar Rokka, Deepak Magar, Krishna Man Rajbahak, Suresh Tamang, Surya Prasad Sharma and Dhana Bahadur Thapa.

Three pros – Shiva Kumar Majhi, Tham Bahadur Rai and Rajen Rai – along with amateur Gajendra Limbu, missed the cut on countback after finishing on 151.

In the amateur section, Rahul leads at 7-under 133, nine strokes clear of Padam and Prakrit. Four other amateurs – Sundar Rai, Ram Tamang, Jitendra Rai and Balram Poudel – also made the cut.